Last talk I have, I expected audience participation, because I asked for it. I failed the audience. I know how to improve the talk for last time.

What was my bias that lead to me failing the audience? I’m used to participation being part of my grade, and having to participate. Others in classes were the same way. Yes we had some that barely participated. But usually half the class did.

Because that’s what I was used to in college class setting, that’s what I expected at a conference talk. The result was I failed my audience with expectations that I shouldn’t have put on them.

1. Basic theory of electromagnetic radiation known as radio waves
2. Install SDR# software and configure Dongle on Windows to monitor broadcasts (FM radio, Ham Radio, Other bands).
3. ADBS (Track airplanes, basically how FlightAware does it, with remote sensors people run)
4. Frequency counting (finding what Freqs are popular in an area to do more of item 2).
5. Radio Directional Finding, using RTL-SDR dongles on a Raspberry Pi with a touchscreen and gui software.
5a. (for licensed HAMS) how to turn the Raspberry Pi in to a broadcasting radio

I’ll be teaching an Introductory class at Circle City Con this year, on Software Defined Radio.

Introduction to Software Defined Radio with the RTL-SDR on Windows and the Raspberry Pi 2

4-hour introduction to Software Defined Radio, using the RTL2832U chipset, covering both Microsoft Windows and the Raspberry Pi. We will be going over how to track airplanes, scan radio frequencies to find people talking, and covering a little radio theory. Covering RTL-SDR due to the cost of equipment. A list can be provided to students prior to the course.

Here is the part list you’ll need if you’re taking the class (Note the links got to RTL-SDR.com, Amazon, or Ada Fruit, and I am not associated with either of them). If you can get parts elsewhere that is fine :

A computer running Windows you are authorized to install software on. I discourage using your work computers.